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Dropshipping lets you sell products without holding inventory. When a customer places an order, the order is forwarded to a third-party supplier who ships the product directly to the customer. You set the retail price, keep the margin, and never touch the physical product.

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How dropshipping works in HoopAI

  1. Connect a dropshipping supplier or catalog to your store.
  2. Import products from the supplier’s catalog into your HoopAI product catalog.
  3. Set your retail prices (markup over the supplier’s wholesale cost).
  4. A customer places an order on your store.
  5. The order is routed to the supplier for fulfillment.
  6. The supplier ships the product directly to the customer.
  7. You keep the difference between the retail price and the supplier cost.

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Connecting suppliers

1

Choose a dropshipping supplier

Select a supplier that integrates with the HoopAI platform or supports API-based order routing. Common options include print-on-demand services, wholesale marketplaces, and specialty suppliers.
2

Connect via integrations

Navigate to Settings > Integrations and connect the supplier. For suppliers without a direct integration, use Zapier or Make to automate order forwarding.
3

Import the product catalog

Once connected, import the supplier’s products into your HoopAI product catalog. Product details, images, and variants are pulled automatically.

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Product sync

After initial import, product sync keeps your catalog current:
  • Price updates β€” supplier price changes are reflected in your cost data
  • Inventory levels β€” out-of-stock products can be automatically hidden or marked as unavailable
  • New products β€” newly added supplier products can be imported selectively
Always verify supplier inventory levels before running promotions. Selling a product that the supplier cannot fulfill damages customer trust and creates refund requests.

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Order routing

When an order is placed on your store:
  1. The platform sends the order details (product, variant, quantity, shipping address) to the supplier.
  2. The supplier confirms the order and provides a tracking number.
  3. The tracking number is saved to the order in HoopAI and shared with the customer.
For suppliers without direct integration, set up an automation workflow:
  • Trigger: Order Submitted
  • Action: Send webhook to supplier API or forward order details via email

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Inventory management

Even though you do not hold stock, tracking supplier inventory is important:
  • Enable inventory sync if the supplier supports it β€” products automatically show as unavailable when the supplier runs out
  • Set low-stock alerts to proactively source alternatives
  • Use product variants to offer items from multiple suppliers as backup sources

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Margin tracking

Track your profit margins in the product catalog:
Aim for a minimum 30% margin on dropshipped products to cover advertising costs, refunds, and platform fees while maintaining profitability.
Dropshipping requires clear communication about shipping times. Since products ship from the supplier’s warehouse (often internationally), delivery can take longer than standard e-commerce. Set accurate shipping expectations on your product pages and in confirmation emails.
Last modified on March 6, 2026